Improvement in machines for cutting corks



didnt iirt anni effet Letters Patent No. 110,075, dated December 13, 1870; antedated December 9, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING CORKS.

The `Schedu1e referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom'it may concern Be it known that L'EILERT O. SCHARTA'U, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Cork; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being hadv to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of -reterence marked thereon which form a part of this specification.

The nature of my machine consists inthe construction and arrangement of a machine for cutting strips of cork from which the corks are thereafter to be cut.

`In order to enable. others skilled in the 'art to Y which my invention appel-talus to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Arepresents an upright standard, having on one side projecting arms which support an inclined tableor way, B, upon which the box C is firmly, secured.

This box consists of a bottom and end pieces, with anvadjustable back, a, against which the cork-bark is placed.

The end. pieces of the box C are slotted at right angles with the bottom, and bars b b connect the two ,end pieces, one on each side of. the slots, forming guides for the knife or cutter D. By changing the position of the adjustable back a the bark is cut into strips of any desiredwidth vso as to make the required size of corks.

. The upper ena of the knife D is, by a prima, E, connected with a crank-pin'upon the wheel G, which is mounted at theupper end of the standard A, and revolved by means ofa belt connecting it with au engine, or by oth'er suitable means.

A suitable -distance from, and inclined toward the standard A, is another standard H, the two standards being connected by two parallel bars, I I, be-

tween which the upper end of the knife D and pituzlan The upper end ofthe inclined standard H. is forked or slotted, and inthe same is pivoted a bent lever, J, one arm of which moves between the I parallel bars I I, and is connected with the back of the '.k-nife'D. This connection is made-near the upper end of the knife, and near the lower end is pivoted a rod, K, which is also pivoted in a mortise or recess ou the inclined standard H, 'and placed parallel with that arm of the lever J which is connected withthe knife.

The-othcr or outer end of the lever J- is provided with arweight, L. ...---By this, arrangementit-will be seen. that the knife is 4not only moved up and down by the pitman E, but also back and forth from the bottom of the box O by the lever J and rod K. When theknife is drawn up it is at the same time pressed down upon the back by the weight Lupon the lever,cutting a strip'of the bark, the edge of the knife entering into a slot made in the bottom of the box C.

This device, although it may be used for any size or thickness of strips, is mainly intended to cut strips for the manufacture of smaller-sized corks. For larger sizes, where the bark must be thicker, more power is required, and in this case. I use the combination of levers and connecting-rods shown in ig. 2.

'lhe standards, inclined table, box, and knife are constructed in the same manner as above set forth.

The wheel G is mounted upon a separate standard, and connected by a pitman, E', with a bent lever, J', p'ivotcd in the upper end of the standard A. The other end of said lever is, by a suitable rod, connected with the upper end of the knife.

Another arm on said lever "Jis connected with a Theaded lever, M, which is pivoted in the upper end of' the inclined standard H.

One arm of the lever M is, by a rod, N, connected with the back of the knife, while the thin arm is connected with a weighted lever, 0 pivoted lower down in the inclined standard, and this weighted lever also connected with the back of theknife.

In this arrangement of levers `and rods the knife operates in precisely the. same manuel' as above set forth, but with far more power, and hence is capable of cutting bark of greater thickness.

The bark being thus cut up into strips of the required thickness, the corks will be cnt from the strips by another machine.

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim as new', and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv 1. Ihe box '0, provided with slotted bottom and end pieces, adjustable back a, andguide-bars b b, all substantiallyas and for the purposesl herein set forth.

2. The combination of the pitman E', bentlcver J', T-shaped lever M, rod N, and weighted lever O, all constructed and arranged as described, to operate the knife D, 'substantially in themanner and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: g O. ALEXANDER,

T. H. ALEXANDER. 

